Muslim World League to meet in Taipei next week

Staff writer, with CNA

Wed, Feb 16, 2011 - Page 2

Religious leaders and academics from more than 20 countries are scheduled to participate in a seminar organized by the Muslim World League on Sunday and Monday in Taipei, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs official said yesterday.

The seminar, titled “Dialogue: A Human Common Bond” and organized by the Muslim World League and the Taiwan-based Chinese Muslim Association, will be held at the National Central Library, Lin Jinn-jong (林進忠), director-general of the Department of West Asian Affairs, told a press briefing.

FIRST TIME IN TAIWAN

The seminar, Lin said, would be the second time the league has taken its religious conference overseas and the first time the religious dialogue will be held in Taiwan since the league was established in 1962.

One of the largest Islamic non-governmental organizations, the league receives most of its funding from Saudi Arabia.

The conference will try to promote dialogue between different religions and peace, while also campaigning against extremists who use Islam as a tool to promote terrorism, Lin said.

Ishag Ma (馬孝棋), the imam of the Grand Mosque in Taipei and secretary-general of the Chinese Muslim Association, said there are about 200,000 Muslims in Taiwan, with 150,000 of them being migrant workers from Indonesia.

However, mosques can be found in Taipei, Jhongli, Greater Taichung, Greater Tainan and Greater Kaohsiung.